Two Worlds - Kagome
by YourPrayer
Summary: This is part of a trilogy I'll be writing. Eventually Two Worlds - Kagome and Two Worlds - Toshiko will become Two Worlds Collide.
1. Chapter 1: Saving Grace

Blood trickled into a small stream as Kagome clutched her side and moaned in agony. She had been trying to get away from Kikyou and her little pet, Inuyasha, for the past several days. The exhaustion of constantly running with little to no sleep had finally gotten to her. Kikyou and Inuyasha had caught up with Kagome when she had stumbled over a broken branch. The only thing that had saved her was some streak of red that had slammed into Kikyou and the arrow she had loosed tore through Kagome's side instead of her heart.

 _I'm going to die here._ The thought terrified her. Tears formed in her eyes and she choked back a sob. The bushes in front of her rustled and fear pushed its way past the pain. Kagome struggled back into the brush and tried to hide herself, biting her lip to choke back the scream trying to tear itself from her lips. A flash of red moved past her several times and she frowned in confusion. _Could that be Inuyasha? No, why would he save me from his precious Kikyou_. The bitter thoughts took her mind from the pain.

"There you are," A voice whispered in front of her and crouched down. Kagome screamed and tried to scramble back from the stranger but he pulled her toward him and clamped his hand over her mouth. "Hush; you'll bring those two this way if you don't stop that incessant screaming," he warned.

She nodded and winced as a stick brushed against her wound. Kagome whimpered under his hand and her vision darkened. The stranger removed his hand and looked down at the arrow bleeding profusely at her side. The last thing Kagome could remember was a shock of pain and his worried frown before the sweet taste of darkness engulfed her.

Kagome sat up and touched her side, wincing. The brightness of the sun and sight of an unfamiliar room filled her vision and overwhelmed her. "H-hello?" She drew the soft silk blanket up around her chest and realized her white top was gone leaving only her bra covering her from the waist up.

The red-haired man opened the door bowing his head, "I'm glad you're awake. We were a little worried we didn't get to you soon enough."

She screamed and pulled the blanket up to cover more of her body. "Who are you and where the hell is my shirt?" Kagome snapped angrily at him and flushed bright red.

"I couldn't have gotten to your wound without cutting your top off," he tilted his head up slightly so she could stare into his bright green eyes, "You can call me Kurama, my lady."

His deep stare unnerved and intrigued her and she flushed an even brighter shade of red before shaking her head and glaring at him. "I'd like to have something more to wear then," she demanded.

"As you wish my lady," Kurama bowed deeper and his cheeks showed traces of a blush.

"And stop calling me your lady! I'm not your lady!" Kagome flushed a deeper red as Kurama bowed once more and left the room without looking at her.

Kagome stood up slowly and sucked in a breath, letting the pain subside before she moved to the door. She heard angry voices but only recognized the one of the man that had brought her here. The door moved soundlessly as she cracked it open and saw four males in the other room.

"I can't believe you brought her here without saying something to us first!" The man with the short black hair shouted and pointed at the one who had called himself Kurama.

"What was I supposed to do Yusuke? She needed help and I was in the vicinity. I wasn't going to let them kill her," Kurama stated calmly and stared back at the one called Yusuke. They were standing in the middle of the room arguing while the other two stood on opposite sides of the room. The shortest man was leaning up against the outside door with his eyes closed pretending to ignore everyone.

"I don't care if she hears me! This is not a place for a girl to be. Especially when we're in the middle of a dangerous mission," Yusuke gritted his teeth and glared at Kurama.

Kurama sighed and started to walk out of the room, "I'm pretty sure she can handle herself Yusuke. Just give her a chance to prove herself."

"I'll protect her!" The orange-haired man grinned stupidly and pointed a thumb at his chest, "She's probably a damsel in distress."

"Shut up Kuwabara," Yusuke growled and punched him in the face. Kuwabara's head whipped sideways and when he recovered, started a completely different argument with Yusuke.

"Will you two stop?" The man leaning against the wall stood up straight, rolling his eyes at the two, "She's listening to us anyways. Why don't we ask her what she thinks?"


	2. Chapter 2: Strangers

Kagome gasped in surprise and shut the door. Laughter sounded in the room and returned to the previous argument of what they should do with her. Her face warmed in anger and she returned to the bedroll she had woken up from. Kagome thought she had seen Yusuke before but couldn't place where. In the middle of the thought, a knock sounded on the door and she pulled the blanket firmly around her, "Come in."

Kurama walked in slowly with a new change of clothes for Kagome. He knelt down and set the clothes beside her, "If you need help just ask. Try not to reopen the wound or tear the dressing. I'll be in the room with the others if you need anything else." Kurama looked up into her eyes and smiled at Kagome. He stood up without another word and closed the door behind him as he left.

Kagome waited a moment to make sure no one else would come in and shed both the blanket and ruined skirt she had on. The clothes Kurama had brought were a traditional-style outfit worn in the Feudal Era and she grimaced at the white floral kimono. Quickly dressing in the outfit she sighed and stared at the door in thought. _I really don't want to deal with a bunch of men. I wish Sesshomaru were here to make them go away. I wonder where he is._

She opened the door and stepped out into the small main room and everyone grew silent. "Why's everyone so quiet now that I've come out?" Kagome scowled and crossed her arms.

"Y-you look like…" Yusuke stuttered.

"Kikyo," The shortest man growled and turned to her, "What's your name?"

"Do not compare me to that bitch!" Kagome screamed and glared at the shorter man. She pointed a finger at him and started stepping closer, "I'm nothing like that sniveling, conniving, good-for-nothing, brainless piece of shit so don't you **_dare_** say I look anything like her!"

The shorter man glared at Kagome and the room started to darken, "Are you threatening me?" A dark aura started consuming the room and blacked out the light as the shorter man grew angry. Kagome didn't let up but shut her mouth and stared down the man.

Kurama stepped between them and looked the man in the face, "Hiei control yourself. Look at what you're doing to the room."

Hiei stared up at Kurama and blinked a couple times. The darkness receded, letting light trickle back into the room.

"I'm not done," Kagome growled as Kurama turned to her.

"Do not antagonize my friends or there won't be anything I can do to stop them from tearing you apart." Kurama shook his head and led her to a chair on the far side of the room to calm down.

After seating Kagome across the room, Kurama's steps grew more agitated at the situation.

"Why were Inuyasha and Kikyou after you?" Kurama finally spoke up after a long moment of silence.

"They absolutely hate my existence. Apparently Kikyou isn't whole until after my death." Kagome stared down at her hands in her lap. She pursed her lips as the memories of the day Inuyasha had betrayed her came rushing back. She didn't realize she was grinding her teeth; so focused on the memories that Kurama's quiet whisper in her ear drew her back to the present. Kagome gasped in surprise and knocked the chair backwards taking herself with it.

Kuwabara jumped up, "I've got you!"

Yusuke punched him in the head and grinned as Kuwabara fell through the wooden floorboard.

Kurama shook his head, helping her up with an apology and a slight smirk on his face. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment and she brushed her borrowed kimono clear of debris. "I'm okay, I don't need your help!" Kagome smacked his hands away and stormed out the front door. Hiei raised an eyebrow as Kurama walked out of the house after Kagome with a short, "I'll get her."

The soft lush grass gave way to Kagome's bare feet as she stormed off towards the large hedges in front of her. She heard soft footfalls behind her and took off at a faster pace. The sunlight beat down on her pale skin and she wished the hedges were instead a forest. Kagome burned easily in the sunlight unless she brought sunscreen from Present-Day Japan.

"Kagome, wait!" His voice reached her ears through the chattering of birds above her as she reached the hedges.


	3. Chapter 3: Kurama

Kagome realized they created a maze and sighed at the aspect of being far from the group of boys. "Left or right?" she questioned to herself. With only a second's hesitation, she took off in a run to the right and wound her way through the maze. Stray branches pulled at her kimono as the path narrowed from disuse that only grew worse the further she ran.

Something grabbed her arm and Kagome turned around, slamming her fist into whatever it was that had her. Kurama grabbed her fist a second before it hit. A look of frustration flashed across his unmarred face and she bit back the scream that had built up inside her.

"What do you want?" Kagome seethed with a similar look of frustration.

"I would rather you not run off without someone to look after you. Your bandages are seeping through the kimono now."

Kagome sighed, "Can I have my hands back now?"

"Only if you stop them from trying to bludgeon me," Kurama raised an eyebrow in question and she nodded her head.

A while later the path widened enough for Kurama to walk beside Kagome. The silence between them was more comforting than awkward.

"I swear I thought this was the way back. I did run through a bunch of branches…" Kagome's voice trailed off and she suddenly stopped. The hedges thinned out on one side that revealed a wall in the middle and she looked up to realize that they had grown too high for either of them to jump over. Kagome sighed in frustration as she spun on her heel and glared at Kurama, "Why are-."

Before the rest of the sentence left her lips, Kurama had her pinned to the naked wall with his body and pressed his lips to hers. Kagome melted into the kiss; too shocked from the roiling emotions inside her. He slipped his tongue between her supple lips as he deepened the kiss. **_Smack!_** Kagome had pushed him far enough away that the smack of her hand left a large red handprint across his right cheek.

 _Her black hair and swollen red lips make her look even more beautiful._ Kurama thought to himself. He chuckled and held his cheek as he grinned stupidly at her, "That was definitely worth it." Kagome let out a growl and threatened to do worse than a smack if he touched her again. He took off at a jog without looking back, "At least I know the way back to the house."

"Ugh! You're just as infuriating as Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted as she chased after Kurama, hell-bent on catching him. The vibrant green hedges whispered against her pale skin from the narrowing path as she followed Kurama. He turned the corner with an amused chuckle just as Kagome had caught up with him. The soft grass they were walking upon ended in a worn brick path ahead.

Kurama stopped at the bricks and frowned, "I don't remember this being here before." He bent down and hovered a hand an inch above the first brick. Power hummed against his hand.

"Something feels wrong about this place. I wish I still had my bow and arrows," Kagome hugged herself.

The sudden silence of their surroundings was unnerving. As Kurama stood up, his posture changed. A cold and calculating stare had replaced what she had considered gentle and mischievous. At first she had thought this was a different side to him. However, the more she looked at Kurama she realized this had to be a different person.

Suddenly a massive mammoth-like creature plowed through the wall-hedge in front of them and debris flew everywhere. It let out a deep bellow of rage at the sight of Kurama and Kagome; lowering its enormously curled ivory tusks in challenge.

"Make sure you stay out of my way or I'll throw you under its rather large feet. Might get some entertainment out of that actually," Kurama smirked at the thought.

"His voice is a little deeper and he reminds me more of Sesshomaru," she thought to herself. Kagome glared and tapped her foot, "Maybe I should throw you under there instead, Kurama. It'd take care of my frustration."

"Kurama is a little indisposed at the moment," he said nonchalantly. A green whip made of thorn vine appeared in his hand. Kagome watched in fascination as Kurama toppled the creature with the crack of the whip.


	4. Chapter 4: The Maze of Frustration

"Just because you're fighting doesn't mean you can't talk to me," She huffed angrily as he danced around the monster. He seemed to enjoy making the animal suffer rather than kill it quickly so they could get back to the house. The monster's blood splattered everywhere with each crack of the whip. It lashed its back foot out at Kurama and took out more of the wall.

A large section of the wall the creature had struck crumbled down towards Kagome. She dove toward the thrashing monster and spotted a small, shiny object an arm's length away from her. Kagome jumped up and grabbed the object; cutting herself in the process. "Damn it!" she winced.

The whip cracked above her head as she dodged from the foot that landed where she had crouched a second ago. Kagome jumped on top of the creature's massive neck and drove the sharp piece of metal through the main artery in its throat. Lifeblood gushed out of the wound soaking Kagome and anything in the surrounding area. Kurama strode over to her without a drop of blood on his clothes and helped her down.

"I hate you," she muttered jealously as she eyed his yellow outfit devoid of blood.

"If you hated me, you wouldn't still be here," Kurama smiled at her.

She pulled from his grip and stared at him. Kagome couldn't believe how much he reminded her of her adopted brother from the Feudal Era. He was also cruel, merciless, and loved torturing his enemies just for fun. She wondered briefly what Sesshomaru was doing right now.

"Kagome, would you rather stand there and stare at me the rest of the day or would you prefer I leave you here and go back to the house myself?" Kurama mused.

"I'm not staring at you!" she warmed.

Kurama shrugged and took off through the opening the monster had created not waiting to see if Kagome would follow. She cringed and stumbled over the debris; sharp rocks cutting into her palms and knees as she tried to catch up to Kurama in the fading light of the setting sun.

Kagome tripped over her borrowed kimono but caught herself before she fell to the ground. "Will you wait up?" she shouted angrily at Kurama. He turned a corner without slowing and Kagome sighed in frustration. The entranceway loomed in front of her and Kurama walked briskly through. He took off towards the front of the house and vanished before Kagome walked through the entrance to the maze. "What's his problem?" Kagome muttered with a shake of her head.

She opened the back door and stepped into the dark house, looking around to find it empty. Silence stretched through the house as Kagome yawned. Exhaustion overwhelmed her from the day's excitement though the pain in her side continued to bother her. She realized that she had the house to herself. A smile spread across her face as she opened the bathroom door and turned on the light; noticing a garden tub sitting off to the side.

Kagome had missed the niceties of Present-Day Japan like running water or a nice hot bubble bath. She had even missed going to school or being able to wear her favorite outfits. Kagome turned on the water realizing with a start that the tub also had jets along the sides. Sitting on the back wall of the tub sat an unmarked bottle. She picked it up and opened the cap, cautiously sniffing it. A soft sigh escaped her lips at the scent of rose petals.

She dumped some of the rose-scented liquid into the running water that bubbled instantly. Kagome peeled her clothes off and dumped the bandages by the side of the tub. Sliding into the tub, she hit the button to start the jets and melted in pleasure. The bubbles reached the top of the tub and Kagome shut the water off as her mind wandered.

Thoughts of Kurama appeared and she wondered about the red-haired man. His looks were more feminine though her first thoughts of Kurama were of a flat-chested female. The thing that intrigued her most about him was probably his eyes. At first his eyes had appeared to be a vibrant green like the first day of spring. However, when she had looked at him just moments ago his eyes had taken on a golden glow.


	5. Chapter 5: Catching Up

There was a knock at the door and Kagome snapped out of her thoughts, "What is it?"

"I was wondering if you were hungry," Yusuke's muffled voice came from the other side of the door.

Kagome's stomach growled loudly. She realized that she hadn't eaten for a while and shut off the jets to the tub so she could hear better. "Yes, I'm pretty hungry. What do you have to eat?"

"Kurama found some fruit and I caught some deer-looking thing…" Yusuke's voice trailed off.

"That's fine with me," Kagome pulled the drain in the tub and stepped out. She grabbed a clean-looking towel from the shelf behind the door and started drying off, "Yusuke?"

"Yes Kagome?" he answered a moment later.

Kagome bit her lip, "Have we met before? You look familiar to me."

Yusuke hesitated again, "I think we have a long time ago."

Kagome started dressing in a honey-colored kimono that fit a little large on her small frame, "Really? Where was this at?"

"Present-day Japan at my house. I think it was for my birthday," Yusuke leaned against the door. He brushed a hand through his thick black hair and realized he couldn't remember the last time he had seen his mother.

Kagome gasped when an image of a smaller version of Yusuke and her playing outside flashed through her memory. She opened the door and hugged Yusuke. He stood stiff in confusion as she giggled and pulled away, "So that's why you seemed familiar! We're cousins! We were playing tag outside your house."

Yusuke pulled away from his cousin, "Sheesh you don't have to get all sappy on me Kagome." Kagome laughed and they continued to talk as they headed for the kitchen. Each of them explaining what had happened since they had last gotten together.

The countertop was covered in several types of fruit. Some of them Kagome had never seen before. She picked up the strawberries and took them over to the sink to rinse under the water.

"So what you're saying is that we're not in Feudal Japan?" Kagome questioned as she pulled a few plates out of the cabinets beside the sink.

Yusuke nodded, "Mhmm. As crazy as it seems, we're in the Spirit World. There's a gate nearby that leads back to Feudal Japan."

Most of the strawberries were loaded on to Kagome's plate. A loud grumble came from Kagome making her blush and grab her stomach. Yusuke laughed, "Go ahead and eat up. You seem to be pretty hungry."

The door opened with a loud creak as the others walked in. Their clothes were covered in dirt and blood and they looked completely exhausted. Hiei balanced a large plate on his shoulder containing pieces of charred meat. The scent wafted into the house making Kagome gag on a strawberry.

"Ugh, that smells disgusting!" Kagome held her nose and fanned the air in front of her face.

Hiei pushed some of the plates to the side to make room for the meat. Yusuke looked at the meat then back to Hiei, "Did you cook this?"

"Does it look like I would make something like this?" Hiei raised an eyebrow as he picked up a bunch of grapes and walked off to the bathroom.

Kuwabara laughed, "Guess it's more for me then. I don't think its half bad." He started shoveling the pieces of meat into his mouth.

A whole watermelon was being cut up into bite sizes by Kurama. He hadn't said one word to Kagome since they had left the maze. Yusuke noticed the tension hanging between Kurama and Kagome. He cleared his throat loudly, looking at Kurama.

"By the way Kagome, Kurama can show you the way to Present Day Japan. He goes back every once in a while to visit," Yusuke smirked and took a bite of watermelon. Kurama opened his mouth to protest but Yusuke had grabbed Kuwabara by the ear and dragged him off into the other room.

The silence was almost deafening. Kagome couldn't stand it anymore, "What did I do? I don't understand why you're ignoring me."

"Nothing at all, Kagome," Kurama shrugged.


	6. Chapter 6: Red-Headed Frustration

Frustrated, Kagome picked up a purple grape and threw it at him. He tilted his head to the right and the grape squished against the fridge then fell onto the floor. Kurama raised an eyebrow and finally looked at her. With an angry sigh, Kagome crossed her arms. A stray hair fell down into her dark blue eyes agitating her even more. She tucked the black strand behind her ear and tapped her left foot impatiently.

Kurama sat the knife down on the table. He walked around the island kitchenette to stand inches from her. "Are you always this feisty?" The look on his face intrigued Kagome and she raised an eyebrow in question. She stabbed a finger into his chest with a glare. "What you don't realize is that this isn't feisty. This is pissed off. And I would appreciate it-" she shoved her finger into his chest again, "if you would be civil with me instead of acting like a child!" Kagome huffed and stormed off to her room.

The bewildered look she saw on Kurama's face amused Kagome as she slammed her door shut. His muffled voice through the door agreed to take her home the next day and that she should get some rest for the journey at first light. Kagome finally lay down after she paced about the room a few minutes. Thoughts of the day swirled around in her mind keeping her from sleep. Kurama completely confused her and yet piqued her interest.

How he could be a complete gentleman and then lewd or childish baffled her. She should be used to it by now since she had put up with Inuyasha for so long. However, unlike Inuyasha, this seemed like two different people. She would have to ask Yusuke before they left.

Something was trying to wake Kagome up. Whatever it was wouldn't take the less-than-subtle hints that she didn't want to wake up from her peaceful slumber. Kagome let out a growl, swatting at the annoying thing that kept trying to shake her awake. "Kagome it's time to go," a voice whispered to her. It was still dark out and the chill of the evening seeped through the shutters of the house. The cold made Kagome sleepy; especially when she was under several layers of blankets and was nice and warm.

She cracked her eyes open and a dark silhouette of Kurama sat next to her. "What time is it?" she groaned.

Kurama set a pack next to her, "It's almost first light so we need to get ready and head out soon. I have almost everything packed," he stood up and walked over to the door, "I'll be waiting out in the kitchen if you need me."

Before Kagome could think straight, he had left. With a loud groan she sat up and winced. Her wound was almost healed but there was still a little soreness. It always surprised her how fast her body healed itself. She should be used to it by now with how often she ended up getting hurt. It was one of the perks of her being a priestess. Kagome picked up the pack and headed toward the bathroom. The bandage she had on was old and needed to be taken off. She probably didn't need to put on a new bandage but it wouldn't hurt to double check.

The bathroom light bathed the small, dark room with a warm glow. Kagome set the pack down on the counter. Inside were clothes similar to the kimono she wore yesterday. This one was a soft red with black and white koi print. She curled her lip in disgust as she shed her clothes. The bandage slid off her waist to reveal her pale skin. The wound on Kagome's side was gone and she ran her fingers along the soft, unmarred skin.

Kagome could remember a time when the Shikon Jewel was a part of her; literally. The thought of the Shikon Jewel brought up memories she would more than like to forget. That part of her life was gone. She would rather forget about that mutt and his witch lover. Kagome put on the kimono thinking about the others she would like to see again.

She snapped herself out of her thoughts and headed into the kitchen. Kurama was leaned against the fridge with his chin rested on his chest. "I'm ready to go. How long of a journey will this be Kurama?"

He shrugged, "It's not long. I just wanted to be sure we had enough supplies in case we have to travel to the other portal."


	7. Chapter 7: Journey Through the Forest

They headed out the door in the opposite direction of the maze. _He seems more relaxed than he was yesterday..._ Kagome bit her lip wondering if he would be open to talk about his bizarre attitude the day before. Kagome fiddled with her fingernails that had started to grow long. She had always wanted longer nails but decided against it. The thought of breaking a nail was terrible. Also, shorter nails were easier to work with a bow.

Kurama glanced back at her, "Are you nervous about going back home?"

"Not really. Though it has been a while since I've been back there," Kagome shrugged. They walked down a worn trail that looked like it was made by some type of animal. Occasionally, a twig or some leaves would snag on the kimono and they would have to stop. Kurama would help pull out the thorns so it wouldn't tear the fine silk.

Frustrated at the kimono, Kagome sat down on a large rock. "Why is it that I had to have this silly thing? Didn't you guys have anything else I could have worn?" she huffed.

"I think it looks wonderful on you. It brings out the blue in your eyes," Kurama mused.

Kagome turned a bright shade of red at the compliment. She wasn't used to compliments, only insults when she was with Inuyasha. He chuckled and held out a hand to help her up. Kurama had on an all-white outfit with black clasps on his shirt. It was an innocent gesture so Kagome placed her hand in his.

He pulled her up with a smirk, "Ready to go?"

Kagome brushed herself off and nodded. They grabbed their packs and headed off toward the East Gate. She couldn't wait to see her younger brother, her mother, and her cat Niko. Niko had probably torn her room apart by now. She didn't like it when Kagome was gone for a long time.

The forest started to come alive as the sky lightened. Kagome and Kurama had been walking at a good pace for the past hour with only a quick stop to pull thorns out of Kagome's outfit. The dirt path they were walking on had eventually opened up enough to fit two adults side by side. A calming quiet had settled between the two as they walked side by side.

"Kurama," Kagome looked over at him breaking the silence.

"Yes Kagome?" He smiled clasping his arms behind his head.

She stepped over a small log that had blocked part of the path, "How much longer do we have until we get to the gate?"

Kurama sighed, "Not much longer I hope. We normally run the entire way so it only takes us a few short hours."

Kagome tugged at her sleeves while she pursed her lips in thought. "It shouldn't be too much longer then. The sun looks to be high noon and we've been walking at a steady pace the whole time with little to no stops," she thought to herself. They followed the split in the path to the right when they happened upon a fork in the road.

In the distance a dark object appeared in their view, growing larger the closer they approached it. Kagome assumed this was the gateway. By the time they had gotten up to it, the gate towered over them menacingly. The frame of the portal was finely detailed which portrayed various demons writhing and screaming in agony. Kurama grabbed Kagome's hand as she started toward the frame, mesmerized at the thought of touching it.

"You don't want to do that," Kurama whispered. His voice snapped Kagome out of her trance and he pulled her closer as they walked up to the gate.

"What are you talking about? We just got here Kurama," she asked thoroughly confused.

He squeezed her hand but continued to hold it in a firm grip. "Do not look upon the frame of the gate again. That is how it traps those that are now a part of the frame. This gate is fed by the souls it mesmerizes and traps when they draw near. You are only caught by the gate when you touch the frame."

Kagome nodded, focusing her attention on the middle of the gate so her eyes wouldn't wander to the frame. They stepped through the swirling black and deep purple vortex gate and entered into Feudal Japan. The air smelled different on this side of the gate. The few short days she had been in the Spirit World, the air had a slight metallic smell. Feudal Japan was different. The smell here was fresh, unpolluted, and smelled of home.


	8. Chapter 8: To the Bone Eater's Well

They had come out of the portal and into another forest. A large, familiar tree stood several yards in front of them and canopied over the surrounding trees. Kurama followed Kagome as she set out toward the gigantic tree. At Kagome's insistence, they kept an eye out for the dangers of the forest.

Up ahead the trees thinned out to reveal a small village. Not much was left standing but blackened stones and charred fragments of wood. You could tell that a fire had taken the whole place years ago. What was left of the blackened buildings had been covered in dark green vines. Kagome paused in front of the nearest ruin and crouched down next to a thick vine. She touched the giant thorn protruding next to her leg. "This used to be a beautiful village," Kagome whispered, "Have you ever been here Kurama?"

Kurama knelt down next to her, "No I have not. Would you like to tell me about this place?"

His hand was comforting as he gently laid it on her shoulder. Kagome smiled half-heartedly at him as she shook her head. Memories of the past threatened to bring up tears as she cleared her throat. It hadn't been the same since Kaede and Rin had died. This was probably the first time in four years that Kagome had last walked the dirt road leading to Kaede's Village.

The welcome sign stood broken and rotted to the left side of what used to be Kaede's house. Kagome sprang up rushing off at a brisk walk toward the Bone Eater's Well. After a minute, Kurama stood up while brushing off his pants and headed in the direction she had taken off. Kagome was nowhere in sight but he figured that she would wait for him at the Well. If not, it would be a nightmare trying to find her in Present-day Japan.

As Kurama rounded the corner, he noticed an unusual chill in the summer air. A few yards in front of him stood Kagome. She had an old bow drawn with a purple Sacred Arrow pointed directly at him. "Kagome, I'm so-," he started to move backwards.

"Don't move, Kurama," Kagome glared, "and put your hands down."

He couldn't understand why she would draw a weapon on him but complied with her demand. Kurama's hands fell to his sides as he remained still; a feeling of dread tightened his chest. Maybe he shouldn't have pushed her so far.

Kagome pulled the arrow back a little further, "Close your eyes Kurama."

"I would rather keep my eyes open," he simply stated.

She released the arrow with another shout for him to not move, hoping that he would understand what she meant. The arrow flew just over Kurama's shoulder and pierced the demon snake between the eyes. If she would've released the arrow a second later, Kurama would've been snake food. The demon writhed in pain for a few seconds before it died.

She breathed in a sigh of relief as she collapsed in the grass next to the Bone Eater's Well. The kimono was getting dirty but she didn't care anymore. Kurama nodded his head in thanks, "Are you ready to climb through the Well?"

"I'm ready to get out of this kimono and back into regular clothes," Kagome laughed.

"As you have stated before," Kurama smirked as he helped her up. Before he could react, Kagome gripped his hand and jumped into the well. Kurama yelped in surprise as he stumbled into the hole.

A bright blue light encompassed the two in a warm glow as they traveled through the portal. Around them looked like the darkness of the sky softly lit by stars on a cloudless night.

The look of surprise on Kurama's face amused Kagome. This apparently was the first time he'd stepped into a portal that looked like this. "Have the other portals looked different than this, Kurama?" she mused.

"Yes they very much have," he nodded with a smile, "none have been quite this beautiful."

Kagome frowned, "What do you mean?"

"They're usually dark and filled with the screams of the Lost Souls or is instantaneous like the other portal we went through," Kurama glanced at her. Kagome tried to coax more information out of him about the other portals but he changed the subject to her hometown and what it was like.


End file.
